The upcoming film’s dedication to bringing a faithful representation of Kerr to life makes some sense, as “The Smashing Machine” is based upon a 2002 HBO documentary with the same title. In it, Kerr fights to balance his MMA career while dealing with a substance addiction that eventually sent him to rehab.
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The real Kerr was born in Toledo, Ohio, in December 1968, with his family moving to Iowa for some time before returning to his hometown. The future UFC performer attended Syracuse University in New York, becoming the Division I champion and spending the first half of the 1990s collecting different accolades. After failing to make the Olympic wrestling team in 1996, Kerr began the transition to mixed martial arts, competing in Brazil before earning an invitation to the Heavyweight tournament at UFC 14.
Kerr won that tournament, as well as the following tournament at UFC 15, bringing his final UFC record to 4-0. After that, Kerr decided to begin competing for Pride Fighting Championships in Japan, where he spent most of the rest of his career.
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The upcoming role in “The Smashing Machine” is set to be a significant one for Johnson, as it marks his first foray into dramatic leading man territory. Johnson’s choice to star as Kerr makes sense due to the similarities between MMA fighters and professional wrestlers. If Johnson can be convincing enough as the troubled fighter, it could lead to more dramatic avenues within his career following the disappointment of 2022’s “Black Adam.”
Apart from a pair of brief cameos, last year saw Johnson take a break from film acting, though he did appear in the final season of “Young Rock.” Meanwhile, The Rock made his return to WWE earlier this year, taking a role on the TKO Board of Directors while also building to a match at WWE WrestleMania 40 in April.